Michigan arrest returns local man sought for child sex abuse

Michigan law enforcement arrested a former Mendocino County man on a Mendocino County warrant alleging he had sexually abused a child under 14 over a period of several years. The man was transferred to Mendocino County Jail from the Clare County Jail in Michigan on January 24.

Conrad Arthur Aten, 44, has been charged in Mendocino County Superior Court with five separate felony counts involving sexual abuse of a child. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 20.

Aten moved to Harrison, Michigan after Mendocino County sheriff's deputies began investigating a report he had abused the child over a period of several years. After a 4 month investigation, gathering evidence and interviewing possible witnesses, detectives filed a report with the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office. A felony warrant was subsequently issued for Aten's arrest.

Aten is being held in Mendocino County Jail with bail set at $300,000.

Anyone with information that may have a bearing on this case is being asked to contact the sheriff's tip line at 707-234-2100.